Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 3030’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘COSEH 3030’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; single white to light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 3030’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘COSEH 3030’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with uniqueand attractive leaf and flower forms and coloration and resistance topests common to Helleborus plants.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in November, 2007 of two unnamedproprietary seedling selections of Helleborus niger, not patented. Thenew Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment inGlandorf, Germany in November, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in acontrolled environment in Glandorf, Germany since February, 2010 hasshown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 3030’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘COSEH 3030’ as a new and distinct Helleborusplant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   5. Single white to light pink-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the newHelleborus are more uniformly mounded and are more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborusniger ‘HGC Josef Lemper’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,615. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of thenew Helleborus differed primarily from plants of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus had smaller flowers than plants        of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’.    -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus flowered earlier than plants of        ‘HGC Josef Lemper’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 3030’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalopening flower of ‘COSEH 3030’.

Red purple-colored spots on the flowers in the photographs are theresult of a fungicidal spray application and not a characteristic of thenew Helleborus plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the autumn in 13-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C.and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 monthsold when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger ‘COSEH 3030’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two months at            temperatures about 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            months at temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and            mounding plant habit with flowers held just above the foliar            plane; plant shape is roughly globular; low vigor to            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 14.1            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 18.1 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 24.9 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves            palmately compound with seven leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 11.4 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 13.5 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 7.1 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular to reniform in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate to narrowly obovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Obtuse to bluntly acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Leaflet luster, upper surface.—Moderately glossy.        -   Leaflet luster, lower surface.—Slightly glossy.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between            137B and 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            147C. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Between N137A            and 147A; venation, close to 143A to 143B. Fully developed            leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to            144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B heavily speckled            with close to N186C; towards the base, speckling closer to            187C to 187D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers typically            arranged singly and rarely in pairs; freely and uniform            flowering habit with about 33 flowers developing per plant;            flowers facing mostly outwardly to slightly nodding.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            months after planting; plants flower from autumn into winter            in Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.            Shape: Ovate to elliptic. Color: Close to NN155A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.6 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Shape:            Broadly ovate to nearly orbicular. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to NN155C slightly tinged with close to 186D.            When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155C slightly tinged            with close to 186C to 186D. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 186C and 186D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Aspect: About 35° from vertical. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 150D            heavily speckled with close to 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 120. Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color:            Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Reniform; basifixed. Anther            length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 3C. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4C to 4D. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: About five to seven. Pistil length:            About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close            to 155A. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to            186D. Ovary color: Close to 150D. Nectaries (transformed            petals): Quantity per flower: About 15. Length: About 8 mm.            Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Tubular, flattened. Color,            immature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 154C; towards            the base, close to 145A. Color, mature, inner and outer            surfaces: Close to 3C; towards the base, close to 145A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Helleborus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Helleborus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 3030’as illustrated and described.